Abstract: The invention relates to a method of accelerating the induction of somatic mutations in vitro. The inventive method comprises the expression of at least one cDNA expressing a modified version of the AID gene in the cells to be mutated, in culture conditions and a medium that are suited thereto, said modified version resulting from an AID gene in which the three hydrophobic amino acids, leu189, phe193 and leu196, have been replaced by means of alanine mutations in each case. The invention can be used to induce mutations in Burkitt's lymphoma BL2. The invention can also be used to induce mutations in the immunoglobulin genes of immortalised antibody-producing cells, such as mouse hybridoma cells, human hybridoma cells or human B-cell lines immortalised by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV).